


The Philadelphia Secret

by sarcoline



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Alcohol, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Professors, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Bottom Will Graham, Caring Hannibal Lecter, Flashbacks, Hannibal (TV) Season/Series 01, Hannibal Lecter Loves Will Graham, Hannibal Lecter is a Cannibal, M/M, New Year's Eve, New Year's Kiss, Office Blow Jobs, Power Bottom Will Graham, Rimming, Sassy Will Graham, Top Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham Has Encephalitis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:28:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28300164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcoline/pseuds/sarcoline
Summary: Doctor Will Graham is a new young professor at Johns Hopkins University. He goes to Philly twice a month to get his back blown out. This is the perfect arrangement, until one of his anonymous hookups is hired at JHU and put on the Chesapeake Ripper Task Force alongside him.AKA the AU where they're all professors/doctors.
Relationships: Will Graham & Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 40
Kudos: 305





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Sitting there was an impeccably dressed man. He couldn't have been more than 30 years old, like Will himself. He wore a plain white button-up shirt and dark jeans. This man had a thick head of straight ashy blonde hair and distinct cheekbones. While he looked fantastic, he had the same out-of-place aura that Will was sure he himself gave off. Too old to be on the dancefloor, too young to sit in front of a TV with a six pack._
> 
> _Upon making eye contact, Will slammed his his drink back and thought "Huh, fuck it,"_

The club music thumped at a dizzyingly loud pace. Multicolored strobe lights bounced off the faces of young men, pressed body to body on the dance floor. They shined with sweat and drunken confidence.

Will Graham was not one of these men. Of course, he looked like exactly like them. He wore a button-up t-shirt, form-fitting jeans, and had perfectly coiffed waves with the help of a blow dryer and mousse. He hung back near the bar, with a jack and coke that was threatening to give him a headache from the sugar with every sip. But he wasn't here to do molly with strangers or hookup in the bathroom. He also wasn't here to meet the love of his life. As a matter of fact, he was here simply to have a quick conversation, take them back to his hotel room, and pass out.

Will wasn't oblivious enough to go to a gay bar in his usual attire. Ratty sweaters and oil-stained cargo shorts, messy unbrushed hair, thick-rimmed glasses. He knew this was a careful facade, put on to attract the right kind of person. Someone who wasn't at the club to do molly and take vapid pictures for social media. Someone who wasn't here to scan the crowd and proposition the nearest warm body that fit their 'preferences'. But most of all, someone who wasn't here looking for commitment.

As a newly transplant to Baltimore and a recently hired teacher at Johns Hopkins University, the head of the department gave Will one piece of advice.

_"Do your business somewhere else. Invest in a good car. Get your groceries in the suburbs, gamble in Atlantic City, drink in DC, just do whatever you want outside of the city. These kids are everywhere."_

_"They're adults, Jack. It can't be that weird to see a professor at the pharmacy,"_

_"Did I tell you about the time I ran into one of my favorite grad students at Walgreens? I don't want you knowing what I was buying, and she didn't want to know either. But you're not standing behind me in line at the Walgreens two blocks over,"_

Will took Jack's advice to heart. After a few months, he had a pretty concrete routine. Every other weekend, he drove from Baltimore to Philadelphia. Upon getting a hotel room, he'd nap, shower, and hit one of the many gay clubs in the downtown area. He usually did find someone to go home with. Actually, he always found someone to go home with, but he'd have to reject some men on the basis of them being too young, drunk, high, or needy for him. They'd fuck and Will would moan and do things that felt blasphemous in Maryland, but perfect in Pennsylvania. The other person, usually another postdoc that was chided by their friends into coming to the club, would pick up on Will's apathy and fatigue after sex to take a shower and leave. Will would drink half a pedialyte, pass out, shower in the morning and drive back to his crappy little apartment in Baltimore. Ideally less than 24 hours, where he had ample enough time to nurse himself through a hangover should he need it.

_"A few of us are going to 29th Street after work, you in?" Beverly asked, poking his head into Will's pathetically small office._

_"Honored you thought of me, but I'm off to go fishing soon here," Will said with a grimaced smile._

_"Oh, is it your weekend with the kids again?" Brian asked from around the corner._

His co-workers had somehow picked up on this biweekly habit. Not the details, of course, but through a repeated series of rejected offers for socialization like this one.

And so, Will found himself hanging back at the bar, more disappointed in usual at the crowd. It was nearing one in the morning, and his ideal window for picking someone up was closing. Most people at this time were indecently wasted, high, or coupled up. He knew it was pathetic that he had something as primal as sex down to a formula. Will decided to call it a night and ordered his last drink for the night.

"Jack and coke," Will shouted over the thumping noise at the bartender with his card in hand. The mousey-haired ginger cashier said something back and wouldn't take Will's card, but Will couldn't understand it. Eventually, the man just pointed at the other end of the bar and left to make Will's drink.

Sitting there was an impeccably dressed man. He couldn't have been more than 30 years old, like Will himself. He wore a plain white button-up shirt and dark jeans. This man had a thick head of straight ashy blonde hair and distinct cheekbones. While he looked fantastic, he had the same out-of-place aura that Will was sure he himself gave off. Too old to be on the dancefloor, too young to sit in front of a TV with a six pack.

Upon making eye contact, Will slammed his his drink back and thought "Huh, fuck it". He got up and approached the man.

"Did you pay for my drink?" Will asked. It was partially a yell, just to be heard over the music.

"I did. Would you like another?" He responded at a similar volume. Will could feel the warm embrace of liquor seeping into his mind, dulling his senses and inhibitions.

"You don't even know my name," Will said. This wasn't a part of Will's routine. Handsome strangers didn't buy him drinks. "But yes,"

They both turned their heads to get the bartenders attention. A series of hand gestures correctly led to him to bringing another drink.

"My name is Hannibal," the blonde man said.

"Like from Carthage? I'm Will, by the way," Will asked.

"Yes. Will as in the modal verb, or the noun?"

"Jesus," Will said, laughing into his drink. This made the man smile. He took another sip while Hannibal nursed his, something entirely clear. This guy was perfect. Good-looking, witty, and obviously not anything. "You smoke?" Will asked. Step two of his routine now involved getting them outside, onto the patio where the music was less loud and Will could see if the person was truly interested, or just lonely.

A peculiar look came across Hannibal's face. Not disappointment or excitement, just confused intrigue. He took a long gulp of his drink and nodded.

So hand-in-hand, they weaved their way through the masses and out to the outdoor patio. Supposedly, it was for patrons to eat in a well-circulated area. In reality, it was where men retreated to smoke or talk more privately.

Will fished out a pack of Luckies from his front pants pocket. He didn't actually smoke, but it was appealing enough after a few drinks and an ideal icebreaker for these kinds of hookups. When offered one, Hannibal refused, but he did immediately pull out a lighter for Will himself.

"So, Will, what do you do?" Hannibal asked as Will leaned to meet the lighter's flame.

After a long inhale, Will responded. "I'm a writer,". This wasn't a lie - he had published several papers, and a paperback was on it's second draft. "What about you?"

"I'm a doctor, in academia," Hannibal responded. It seemed neither man was particularly interested in revealing the specifics of their day jobs at the moment.

* * *

"Oh, oh, right there," Will exclaimed with a red face. With Hannibal on top of him and pounding his ass up the mattress, Will felt so entirely filled. Hannibal didn't stop, and kept drilling into Will like an animal. His fingers were gripped deeply into Will's thighs, but they kept slipping from thin layer of sweat that coated their bodies.

With rapid thrusts, Hannibal leaned up and slapped Will's ass that left Will sharply crying out. Between Will's moans, Hannibal's grunts, and the squeaking of the bedframe, the entire hotel probably knew what they were doing.

"Fuck, Hannibal I-" Will closed his eyes, helplessly clutching the mattress. Hannibal's movement became less paced, and he gasped with a low grunt as he slowed down. Cock still embedded in Will's ass, he came to a stop and draped himself over Will's frame,

"I got you, my beautiful boy," Hannibal finally whispered. He didn't pull out, but instead moved in slow, intentional thrusts as his hand wrapped around to stroke Will's cock. It took seconds before Will himself came in spurts across the bedspread and Hannibal's hand.

They pulled away, a sticky mess of sweat and lube wordlessly. Hannibal stumbled, thighs burning from forty-five minutes of that. Shamelessly naked, he took an indulgent swig from a waterbottle on the dresser. Somehow, his legs carried him to the shower.

Will didn't have the energy to do anything more than let gravity pull him down onto the bed. For a few minutes at least, until he pulled his boxers back on and sunk back down on the bed. That was exactly how Hannibal found him after his shower. Ass-up, a sweaty mess of pale skin. Breathing at a rhythmically slow pace. Sleeping soundly.

Hannibal got dressed, wordlessly, and stood at the doorway with his wallet, keys, and cell phone in hand. It was nearing 2:30 in the morning now, and Hannibal needed a proper shower. The cool morning air would be a warm reprieve from the humidity and smells of sex they created in this room.

Yet, Hannibal didn't feel inclined to leave. He bent down to where Will's jeans had been discarded and rummaged through the pockets. His wallet had a few credit cards, his government ID, and most interestingly, a University ID.

Sure enough, Will the writer was Will Graham. A 29 year old professor of criminal justice at Johns Hopkins University. 

"What a coincidence," Hannibal said to himself.

* * *

Will sat on the balcony of his one-bedroom apartment, sipping on some coffee with his laptop on a flimsy metal table. It was Sunday now, and the streets were practically empty. Too early for the hungover to be awake, but too late for the churchgoers to be packing the streets. It was one of Will's favorite times of day.

Saturday went according to routine. He realized he fell asleep on Hannibal around sunrise, when his hotel room was empty. He cursed himself for the stupidity, but realized he avoided the worst when his wallet was undisturbed and none of his cash or belongings were gone. His ass didn't feel hurt, but he felt Hannibal's absence throughout the two hour car ride back to Baltimore. Around one in the afternoon, Will was back at his apartment in Baltimore. It was in a neighborhood sufficiently far away from the university to accidentally run into students, but still firmly in the city. His one bedroom apartment had the bare necessities. A living room that bled into the kitchen, bathroom tucked away to the left, and bedroom in an alcove past the kitchen. It was awkward, sure, needing to walk across the entire place to pee in the middle of the night. But Will had lived in worse conditions his whole life. Having a clean mattress and doors that were firmly locked in a decent neighborhood were more than enough for him.

Will scrolled through his inbox, mentally marking what was actually relevant and what could wait until Monday. A few questions from students about lecture content, various mass-mails that he accidentally got onto the list servs of. Nothing that needed to ruin Will's calm Sunday.

That is, until his phone rang. He answered without looking at who it was.

"Hello?"

"It's Jack. Listen, there's a bit of an unorthodox situation going on here. Can you come into the office in an hour?"

"Yeah, what's going on?"

"You don't have to worry, it's nothing bad. The FBI wants our expertise. And it's the FBI, so they want all of us in person to debrief,"

"And it really can't wait until Monday?" Will asked incredulously. He got up and started rummaging through his closet for clothes. He wasn't about to put on business-casual clothes for a last-minute Sunday meeting, but he also couldn't show up in the ratty white t-shirt and boxers he was wearing now.

"Sadly no. If it helps, you're not the only one they're demanding."

"So we won't be suffering alone?"

"No, not at all," Jack laughed. "They want Alana too. Two people from the medical school, Chilton and some new guy. It's a close-knit team."

"Got it. I'll be there in an hour," Will asked. He pulled out a plaid shirt and dark wash jeans. That'd do.

It occurred to Will as he pulled into his parking spot at the University nearly fifty minutes later that he never actually asked Jack what was going on. As he approached the double doors of the Criminal Justice wing, he was shocked at how many people were there too.

Lots of men and women in suits, looking stoically uptight and poised for a Sunday. Had to be FBI. Will was more confused than ever at this point. If it was important and urgent enough for a Sunday and the FBI, why weren't the police here? And why Johns Hopkins?

Will caught a glimpse of Alana, sitting uncomfortably in one of the fabric chairs outside of Jack's office. She was wearing yoga pants and a neon pink running shirt, all underneath a bulky jacket.

"Hey," Will shyly said, approaching Alana. Alana smiled when she noticed Will. A reprieve from the intimidation of the FBI, it seemed.

"Hey, Will," Alana said. They looked down at the floor and laughed, not sure how to greet each other in a circumstance like this. "I was clearly running when the FBI summoned us. Not enough time to change."

"Running is good, it's a hell a lot more productive than what I was doing," Will said, sitting down in the chair next to Alana. "Do you know why we're here?"

"Nope, just that it's you, me, Jack, and Doctors Chilton and Lecter,"

"Huh, what are they like?" Will asked.

"I've never met Doctor Lecter, he's supposedly new. Doctor Chilton is difficult to descr-"

Alana quickly shut up as another man, dressed in a suede brown suit and tweed elbow patches approached them. His brown hair and quick gait came off as performative and obnoxious. So did the way he introduced himself to Alana and Will.

"The lovely Doctor Bloom, we meet again," The man said, paying no mind to Will.

"Doctor Chilton, it's great to see you," Alana said. She turned away and towards Will. "Doctor Chilton, this is Doctor Will Graham. Professor of Criminal Justice,"

Doctor Chilton stared him up and down quickly, and not so subtlety deducing Will was unremarkable and not worth his attention.

"Charmed, I'm sure," He said. Will's eye was caught by a man approaching from behind Chilton. That's when his heart sank out of his chest.

Blonde hair and cheekbones, wearing a red sweater and black trousers underneath a padded coat. It was-

"Doctor Hannibal Lecter," Hannibal said, extending his hand to shake Alana's. He was warm and polite, unlike Chilton. He came off as effortlessly high-class, but not judgmental. It was a Sunday afternoon, after all.

Hannibal approached Will and greeted him with the same kindness and professionalism that he did Alana. Unfazed by Will's presence. He must not have recognized him. Maybe it was the light, the lack of alcohol, or just a slip of memory that made Hannibal unaware that it was Will from the gay bar on Friday night standing there.

"Doctor Will Graham," Will said. This could work out. Will would go home and do whatever Jack needed dealt with, pour himself a few fingers of whiskey, and bury this information deep in his mind. The chances of him running into Hannibal ever again were slim to none, right? Hannibal was a medical doctor, Will was a professor in criminal justice.

Will was confident in his plan until Hannibal gave him a quick wink before turning to Jack's office. They were subsequently summoned inside.

"Fuck," Will murmured to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Will gets put to work as a part of the task force, Jack forces the team into some after-hours bonding, and Will gets angsty and smokes more cigarettes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Hannibal from Philadelphia was an entirely different Hannibal than the one he sat across from in Jack's office for five hours today._
> 
> _Will turned off the shower and tried to towel himself off without imagining how Hannibal could have fucked Will in so many ways on that desk._

Jack, alongside FBI director Kade Prurnell, explained to them that they were the FBI's new 'consultants' in terms of all things Chesapeake Ripper related. Of course, everyone knew who the Chesapeake Ripper was - they watched the news. They didn't know him intimately. Yet.

For the upcoming winter semester, their classloads and personal research projects would be significantly lightened. They'd have to be on call for consultation and advising throughout the holiday season, with the Ripper's sounders being forthcoming. They wanted to sigh with disappointment, but Jack's threatening glare from behind Kade made them all shut up.

"Cancel any travel plans you might have for the holidays. Start reading up on the Ripper. We'll go through a basic rundown now, and regroup on Wednesday once you've had time with the materials."

They all signed NDAs and led through a slideshow of pictures and facts by Kade Prurnell. The whole thing took 4 hours. Painstakingly analyzing and questioning every body and every tableau. Then, there was an additional hour of paperwork afterwords, for security clearances and NDAs and things Will had never even heard of. It was dark out by the time they were done, and they were completely exhausted.

He also learned distinctly why they were chosen. Doctor Chilton, being one of the more ladder-climbing doctors specializing in surgery at the University, was a political pick. Doctor Alana Bloom of Psychology, to better understand the tableaus that the Ripper left behind. Doctor Lecter, it seemed, had a reputation that preceded him. He wrote his thesis on emergency field surgery and came with the greatest recommendations from Columbia and Georgetown. And then, the young Doctor Will Graham. His published papers included deductions on time of death by insect activity, to other psychological explorations of killers who left complex crime scenes.

Halfway through the presentation, the five doctors realized they'd need additional help. After the third reference to Jimmy, Brian, or Katz, Kade Prurnell finally asked who the hell they were.

As PhD students, they were socially moreso Will's peers than the rest of them. Beverly Katz was ex-military, now studying complex ballistics. Jimmy Price and Brian Zeller both were studying advanced and disturbed mortuary sciences. After some back-and-forth, Jack summoned the three of them to the meeting. As kids in their mid-twenties and not official professors, they couldn't know everything. So they were subconsultants, for the consultants.

Before Will even got back home, his phone now had a few messages from a groupchat named "JHU Chesapeake Ripper Task Force," apparently started by Chilton. So much for 'discretion', something Kade emphasized multiple times during their briefing. Will wanted throw his iPhone into the Jones Falls river and buy an android just to fuck with Chilton.

He didn't let this new turn of events bother him until he got in the shower that evening. His soapy hands scrubbed and trailed downwards to his groin, to grip his growing erection.

_"Darling, darling slow down," Hannibal said with a small laugh. From the floor kneeled Will, lips vigorously and thoroughly wrapped around his cock. He ran his fingers through his hair and let Hannibal bring him to his feet again._

_"Is it not good?" Will said with a coy smile._

_"You know your mouth is perfect, I think you like the validation. I intend to thoroughly enjoy you tonight, however,"_

_"God, where are you from?" Will exhaled with a smile._

Chilton asked Hannibal the same question during their meeting. With the same self-indulgent smile-

_"Lithuania," Hannibal said, stealing more kisses. They tumbled backwards into Will's room and crashed down onto the bed. Their hands met at Will's belt buckle and clumsily threw it off. Suddenly, Will's cock was just as exposed and leaking precum alongside Hannibal._

Will kept up with quick, short strokes into his fist, letting the shower water cascade down his back.

_"F-fuck," Will gasped when Hannibal rocked into him, cocks sliding with the barest friction. "A-are you a top or a bottom?"_

_Hannibal paused for a moment to look straight into Will's eyes. "While I understand what you're asking, I don't adhere to such labels. The more pertinent question might be, which are you darling?"_

_"If you keep calling me 'darling' I'll do whatever you want, Will whispered in his ear, reaching down to take both their cocks in one grip. "But just so you know, I came to the club plugged and ready,"_

_With that, Hannibal kissed a trail down Will's stomach to his cock. He grinned devilishly._

_"I'm sure you're ready, but I'm unfortunately thorough,"_

Will came a few pathetic spurts against the shower tiles with a low grunt. Quickly as it came, his post-orgasmic bliss dissipated into shame.

This is wrong, Will thought to himself. It'd be different if he was just a random hookup - that's fair game in terms of memories to draw from. And in a certain sense, he was. Hannibal from Philadelphia was an entirely different Hannibal than the one he sat across from in Jack's office for five hours today.

Will turned off the shower and tried to towel himself off without imagining how Hannibal could have fucked Will in so many ways on that desk.

\---  
Wednesday's meeting was brutal. Alongside being 3 days before Christmas of staring at crime scene photos, Jack insisted on taking them all out to a pub afterwards. Will couldn't figure out a way to politely refuse.

The eight of them; Jack, Will, Hannibal, Alana, Frederick, Beverly, Jimmy, and Brian, all sat at a hole-in-the-wall pub, drinks courtesy of Jack. Will ordered a scotch, neat.

"Hannibal, what brought you to Baltimore from Georgetown anyway?" Alana asked, sipping on a lemonade of sorts. 

Hannibal took another drink of his water before answering. Will's empty glass stared back at him, almost daring him to order another.

"I had gone as far as I felt academically capable in DC, and Johns Hopkins was of course among my top choices." He smiled.

The waiter took more drink orders from everyone. Will got another scotch, which vaguely stood out from the beer and mixed-drinks others ordered. 

"Where else did you consider going?" Beverly asked from Will's shoulder, having suddenly appeared in their conversation.

"Princeton, Cornell, and the University of Pennsylvania," Hannibal smiled. "In fact, I attended a job interview on Thursday having already accepted this position as a courtesy,"

Of course. That's why he was in town, Will thought.

"If you don't mind, I'll be leaving now. Good work today everybody," Frederick announced. He was clearly feeling pouty and defeated from not being the center of attention.

After an hour, Will stood up to visit the bathroom and realized how dizzy he was. He had too much to drink, it seemed. It was imperceptible to everyone else, maybe, but Hannibal noticed.

"It's been fun everyone, see you guys soon," Will said, with a quick wave. He quickly got up and threw on his coat, fishing his phone out of his pocket to call an Uber, or a Lyft. Or just have a cigarette.

He settled on the last option. He walked half a block down from the bar, where a flower shop's extended roof would shield him from the winter air. It started snowing, and a cool wave of wind blanketed Will's exposed face. Exhaling cigarette smoke he knew was carcinogenic, but only craved when he was horny and drunk.

"Will?"

Speaking of which...

"Doctor Lecter," Will said cooly.

"Please, call me Hannibal,"

"You say please when you really want something from me, don't you?" Will remarked with a cruel glance.

Hannibal took an exasperated breath. Slumping against the brick wall next to Will, he looked around the streets. No one from the task force was nearby, or even visible.

"I'm not sure what the proper procedure is for these kind of circumstances, but I'm certain hostility isn't necessary,"

"We met at a club. No last names, no details, just pure carnality. Now I'm supposed to... what, ignore you?" Will said. He tapped his cigarette ashes out onto the edge of trash can, before giving up and throwing the thing away.

"Never ignore me, Will. Not for any reason," Hannibal quickly said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. The gesture touched Will, It also reminded him how cold it was.

"I'll call an Uber," Will said, simultaneously as Hannibsl said "Let me drive you home,"

Will took a deep breath and accepted. From the passenger seat of Hannibal's Lexus, Will plugged his address into the GPS. It wasn't too far away, but the snow building up meant it would be a 20 minute drive instead of 10.

"I enjoyed myself with you on Friday," Hannibal broke the silence. Eyes focused on the road.

"Yeah, your enjoyment has a peculiar taste to it," Will quipped back. Liquor made him witty, but more crude.

"Should I speak to your fluids too? Build a flavor palette?"

"God," Will said, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. "I feel like you were dropped into my life as a cruel joke from the universe."

"The universe is indifferent to us all, that's what medicine teaches us," Hannibal calmly stated. The lights of shopfronts whizzed past them in the dark of night.

"Psychology teaches us that people are cruel. Especially my field,"

They pulled up to a stop light. Hannibal silently extended his hand across the center console, palm up, for Will to take.

"How long have you known about your empathy disorder?"

That shook Will. To the core. He eyed Hannibal's hand suspiciously.

"As long as I've been able to identify empathy," Will said. The car rolled slowly back to life as the light turned green.

"Is that why your weekend excursion is a difficult subject to broach? A betrayal of faith?"

"I'm not seeing anyone, no," Will said. "I'm suspect that you could figure out my empathy disorder, but not if I'm single or not,"

Hannibal's hand still sat there, for Will to take. And he did. Will's left hand, gently against Hannibal's while he drove one-handed.

"I use sex as a form of stress relief. Meaningless hookups." The words started pouring out of Will before he knew it. "I find people at the clubs who don't want anything more than a warm body. They're closed off to me, and it's perfect. I purposely go out far away from Baltimore, and come back calmer."

"I see, so when did you realize I wasn't one of your usual people?"

Will gripped Hannibal's hand tighter. To keep him grounded, even as his words lifted him mentally higher and higher out of his body. "Your whole body told the story. It wasn't a mindless escape or a feedback loop of touch and response. You held me with reverence, even when I was ass-up and being fucked out if my mind,"

Hannibal didn't react to that. At least, not physically. Will refused to make eye contact, and kept staring out the passenger side window.

"When did you realize I knew you weren't typical?"

"When I realized you were thinking about sex during the meeting on Sunday."

Will did react to that. He turned to Hannibal with a shocked expression, because how in hell could he know that?

"I have an extremely sensitive nose, Will. I recognized your pheromones. You kept avoiding my gaze. It was easy to deduce,"

"That's.... quite some nose you've got there Doctor,"

"Charming, I know," Hannibal said. Even in his inebriated state of mind, he recognized his own neighborhood. The 24-hour bodega that wasn't actually open 24/7, the little falafel place, and Will's 4 story walkup.

Hannibal pulled into a metered parking spot on the side of the building. He made no attempt to pull away from Will's hand, and nor did Will.

"I need to know, for clarity's sake. You're not married, or seeing anyone, correct?"

"Yes,"

"And you're out? As in, comfortable enough in your sexuality to not need to lie for the ease of others and their expectations?"

"Yes,"

"Okay. Same here,"

The silence hung in the air heavily. Snow started to build up on the windshield, even while the wipers rhythmically wiped.

"Wi-"

Will unfastened his seatbelt and jumped across the seat to Hannibal in instant. Their lips met each other in a soft embrace, nothing like their first kiss in Philadelphia that was mostly nose and teeth. This was just electric, tantric energy passing through the soft skin of their lips.

"Hannibal," Will finally said, lips just barely pulled away from him. "I'm gonna go inside. Drink some coffee, sober up a little. Then, I'm gonna text you about dinner plans. I won't be a dick to you at the task force meetings. Okay?"

Hannibal let his forehead rest fully against Will's, just breathing in his sickly sweet aroma.

"Please,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: The Chesapeake Ripper strikes! Will makes a bad wardrobe choice, we meet Freddy Lounds' tasteless journalism, and Will makes a new friend.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The arms and legs had been bent backwards, for the man's naked stomach to be bearing up to the sky. Almost like a reverse fetal-position._
> 
> _"He's happy," Will said, finally, to no one in particular._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had way too much fun writing fictional Tattle Crime material.

Will passed out on his unmade bed the second his deadbolt was in place after Hannibal dropped him off. In the morning, Will took a shower that was entirely too hot and long in a futile attempt to wash away the embarrassment of the previous day. As showers are one to do, Will got out feeling rejuvenated and with a sense of purpose. He had a dew things to do today. Do some analysis on a PDF Jack sent him that morning, schedule a therapy appointment, and look into getting a dog. The most pressing on his mind, was his promise to text Hannibal. So, he tackled the other 3 chores first.

With no indication that the Ripper would strike any time soon, the task force didn't have any meetings scheduled between now and New Years. Jack and Kade did, however, email several PDFs of crime scene photos and ME reports that they wanted analyzed by the 3rd of the new year. It was almost like having homework again.

Doctor Bedelia Du Maurier was an enigmatic and austere woman. She was the only psychiatrist with any openings in Will's network, and she did the job. It was unlikely Will would be able to get an appointment soon, but he sent her an email anyway.

_Hello, it's Will Graham. Do you have any availability in the upcoming weeks? I've been having headaches recently. Have a pleasant holiday season. Best, Will_

Getting a dog had been on Will's to-do list since he moved to Baltimore. He wanted to make sure he was in a position, economically and space-wise, to even take care of a dog. The holiday break could be the ideal time to introduce a dog to Will's apartment. He started looking through the 'pets' page of Craigslist for Baltimore and DC. The titles included things like "Puppies need home!" "55 Gal tank for cheap" and "Rabbit enclosure,"

_Hey, it's Will. Thanks for driving me home last night. Don't want to intrude on your holiday plans, so how does dinner after the new year sound?_

Satisfied, and also realizing it was nearly 1 in the afternoon, Will started making lunch. His rice was halfway done, and he had 2 julienned carrots on a pan when his phone went off. A notification from Jack, from the task force's group chat.

_jcrawford@jhu.edu: New Ripper scene found. On the Patapsco River outside of Avalon. Exact coordinates incoming. Get your asses here ASAP._

Will sighed and turned off the stove.

Will decided he wasn't going to change into business casual clothes for this last minute call-out. They could deal with gray sweatpants and a sleepshirt under a puffy jacket.

It became apparent on the drive over that this was a mistake. Despite being 2 days before Christmas, a disgustingly large crowd had gathered at the parking lot turnoff for the Patapsco River. Journalists, TV news anchors, local law enforcement, and random lookey-lous were fighting each other for a better view.

Will parked and ducked under the police tape. Before he could be stopped by a nondescript agent, Kade raised her arm to signal that he was okay.

Hannibal and Jack were the only other two from the task force at the scene yet. Hannibal, for some god-forsaken reason, was wearing dress shoes and a collared shirt. Jack looked casual, but still presentable in a sweater and cargo pants. Will suddenly felt very self-conscious in his sweatpants.

"Ah, Will!" Jack called out. Will trudged down the incline to join the two, at the riverbank where they were being circled by crime scene photographers and trace analysts.

"Jack, Hannibal," Will said with a curt nod. "We know it's the Ripper?"

"Organs are missing and it's decorated with fancy rocks and flowers. Very unlikely to be anyone else," Jack said. Before being able to give any more details, he stepped off to the side to talk with Kade, leaving the two men alone.

"Will, good to see you. I received your text message at the same moment I did Jack's. You'll have to forgive me for not responding in a timely manner,"

That's when Will saw the body. It was resting on a flat brown rock was the body of a white male, in his early forties perhaps. Salt-and-pepper hair, the shadow of uneven facial hair coming in. His skin, an off-white tinged blue from the cold and rigor mortis had been intricately flayed. Two strips of skin across his hips had been flayed upwards, with the excess unattached skin being tied into a bow. A fucking bow. The arms and legs had been bent backwards, for the man's naked stomach to be bearing up to the sky. Almost like a reverse fetal-position.

"He's happy," Will said, finally, to no one in particular.

"Pardon?" Hannibal asked.

Chilton and Alana came trudging down the hill at that minute. Alana in a casual dress, and Chilton in another tweed ensemble.

"Doctor Graham, I see you're vying for our task force's Most Casual superlative," Chilton sneered. Something about his comment made Will feel... uncomfortable. Aside from the usual dismissive nature that Chilton talked to Will with, it made Will want to zip up his hoodie and cover his body.

"Please, Doctor Chilton, it's the holiday season. Presence is the present," Hannibal chided back. It didn't come off as a scolding, but it also set an uncomfortable mood in the air.

"I'll be the first to admit it, I'm using this as a reason to get away from my in-laws," Alana finally broke the awkward silence.

Jack called Chilton and Hannibal over, leaving Alana and Will next to the body. Until she realized she forgot to lock her car doors, leaving Will and this man alone.

The golden pendulum started to swing.

"I'm on cloud nine," Will began. "Euphoric. Then, you came along. You attempted to disrupt my state of mind. So I plucked you from your life and elevated you."

Will squatted down next to the body, staring at the bent-up man. Bruises and puncture marks littering his skin, telling a story.

"I incapacitate you with some kind of quick-acting paralytic. You'll wake up shortly. In the meantime, I break your elbows and kneecaps to bend you backwards. You're exposed, how I want you. I flay you, alive, to get your adrenaline pumping. Like mine is. Because I'm giddy and full of joy. You attempted to disrupting his ecstasy. So I've permanently disrupted you."

"Will?"

He gasped and blinked out of his imagination and back to the real world. "Huh?"

"It's about to snow. Didn't you notice?" Beverly asked with a concerned voice.

Will looked up at the sky. What was just a clear, sky-blue horizon is now darkened by a wave of clouds, threatening snowfall any second now.

"W-What?"

"Are you okay?" Beverly asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just... uh," Will pulled out his phone to see that an hour had gone by.

That was impossible. He just got here.

"I'm just tired. I'll check in with Jack and head home. Merry early Christmas,"

Before Beverly could protest, Will approached Jack, who was in the middle of a heated debate with Jimmy Price. Hannibal seemed to be observing.

"Tell Jack I took off, I'll email him my thoughts before the sun sets," Will said. He turned around to head back to the parking lot when Hannibal's voice stopped him.

"Will, are you alright?"

Hannibal closed the distance between them and placed the back of his palm on Will's forehead. It felt too intimate, protective, and inappropriate to be happening surrounded by law enforcement and 10 feet from a dead body.

"You're warm,"

"I tend to run hot," Will countered. "It's cold out here, and I'm just tired."

"Tired?" Hannibal asked with a suspicious eye.

"Exhausted," Will said. He performatively yawned loudly, stretching his arms above his head and letting the hem of his white t-shirt rise up his torso, giving Hannibal a glimpse of his pelvic bone. "Text me soon. I'll see you sometime after New Years, perhaps?"

Will didn't wait for an answer. He smiled to himself, unsure about what in God's name possessed him to start being cheeky and flirting at a crime scene. He also didn't regret a single thing.

* * *

  
Will regretted everything.

Despite being the day before Christmas, Will apparently couldn't catch a break from being thrown out of tranquil vacation bliss. His phone pinged a few times with text message notifications, but he ignored it as he continued tying another gear around a lure. Then, it started vibrating.

"Hello?"

"Hey, uh, don't shoot the messenger."

"What's going on Beverly?"

"Brian saw it first. We drew straws to see who was gonna tell y-"

"Just tell me,"

"There's an article. About you. On Tattle Crime. It's about the crime scene yesterday, but it's mainly about you, and, uh..."

Will had already pulled up the Tattle Crime homepage. Tattle Crime, and by extension Freddy Lounds, was an unfortunate part of criminal justice in the true crime world of Baltimore. Her sensationalism and shady tactics had been on Will's radar since he moved to the city. There, on the front page, was a photo of Will with the headline, "ZADDY INVESTIGATOR PACKS HEAT"

"What the fuck," Will trailed off. Beverly promptly hung up. He clicked on the article and almost choked with sheer shock.

The article's subheading, "Johns Hopkins Professor and FBI Task Force Consultant, Will Graham, Spotted With Firm Assets at a Chesapeake Ripper Crime Scene," was a solid precursor to the article. Pictures of Will squatting over the blurred dead body were framed to feature his rear in full focus. Even more embarrassingly, the next picture was of Will stretching. It had to be photoshopped, because now his dick could be seen firmly outlining the thin material of his grey sweatpants.

"Jesus Christ," Will said. He felt exposed, embarrassed, humiliated, and angry. The article itself was textually focused on the crime scene, but with an interesting blurb about Will.

_Youngest among the Task Force consultants is Doctor Will Graham, a new professor at Johns Hopkins. It seems his academic achievements aren't the only prominent feature of the 29-year-old Louisiana native._

Will wanted to vomit. Where Freddy got half that information was beyond him. There was no way his students weren't going to see this. He encouraged them to read up on local true crime. There was even less of a chance that Will was going to be able to walk back into the University without knowing that they've all seen his ass and bulge. He'd just have to become a recluse, and never leave his apartment ever again. Did Tattle Crime have a comments section?

Will closed the tab before he could find the answer to that question. He needed something to distract him.

The bookmark marked "JACK RUSSELL PUPPIES" seemed especially distracting.

Two hours later, Will was crouching down in the mudroom of an elderly couple in rural Virginia.

The couple, Mr. and Mrs. Bendel, only had one puppy left to give away. It seemed their dog, a Jack Russell, got knocked up. Unsure of by whom and overwhelmed by the surprise, they responded almost immediately to Will's response on Craigslist.

The puppy trotted towards Will, and finally let him pick him up. He started licking Will's thumb. Will fell in love instantly and named him Eddie.

Despite being an impulse purchase, Will wasn't irresponsible. He stopped at a pet store on his way down to the Bendels' house for a little bed, multiple pee pads, milk, kibble, dishes, and other toys.

The two of them were driving back to the city when Will's phone rang. With one hand petting Eddie from where he sat in a cardboard box lined with a blanket, Will answered.

"Hannibal," Will greeted him.

"How are you?"

"Is this in reference to the article?"

"It's abhorrent and unspeakably rude. I know several reputable lawyers, should you be interested in pressing charges,"

Will chuckled at that. "I'm mad, but not litigiously so. Hopefully people focus on the fact that the Ripper is active again, and not some photoshopped pictures,"

After a moment. "At the risk of being crude, I must say I don't believe it was photoshopped,"

"Really?"

"I'm certain,"

Okay, so maybe the photo had a silver lining. "I'm... flattered?"

Eddie started digging in his box out of nowhere.

"Eddie, stop," Will hushed him.

"Are you with someone right now?" Hannibal asked.

"Ah, yeah. I just got a dog. A puppy, in fact. We're outside of DC on the 95, driving back home,"

"What a precious gift." Hannibal smiled. "If not a little impulsive,"

"For some reason, I'm feeling hedonistic today. Maybe it's related to the fact there's a picture of my ass in tight pants bent over online,"

"Maybe," After a beat. "I'm moreso surprised Eddie wasn't a relative for the holiday season."

"Nah, it's just me. And Eddie. Are you visiting anyone for the holidays?"

"No, I'll be spending the holidays alone as well. Would you be interested in having dinner with me, tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? I don't think any restaurants will be open,"

"I can cook for us. I'd love to have you at my dinner table,"

"Well..." Will thought to himself for a moment. He wanted to see Hannibal. He wasn't sure about leaving Eddie alone for several hours, but spending Christmas alone was going to be a drag.

"Yes. I'd like that,"

"Fantastic. 7 o'clock, my place."

"I'll bring a bottle of something."

"Darling, you just need to bring perfect little self,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: It's nearly Christmas! Our boys finally have a proper meal, talk about Philadelphia, and Hannibal meets Eddie


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Will set his glass down and stood up, approaching Hannibal where he was seated in a red-hued leather arm chair._
> 
> _"I have a very vivid image coming to mind right now,"_

It had been a long time since Will had gone on a date.

He knew how to dress up. How to clean up good and look nothing like the scraggly-haired professor he actually was. Of course, wearing those clothes seemed inappropriate now. It was Christmas.

He settled on wearing an ironed navy blue button up and a blazer. Hair laden with product, and body carefully scrubbed and trimmed. Not that he expected to get laid tonight.

Eddie stared at him from his little dog bed, practically enveloped by the size. At about 9 weeks old, he was still getting the hang of running and playing. He also wasn't completely onto solid foods yet.

Will cleared it with Hannibal beforehand, but he was still nervous about going to his house carrying a doggie bed and a cooler with milk and kibble. Not to mention a bottle of a red wine that might or not pair nicely with their food.

Hannibal's address was in a nice part of Baltimore. Exceedingly nice. Somewhere a young doctor shouldn't be able to afford.

Will doubled down on this assessment when he actually saw Hannibal's house. It was a 2 story A-frame that boasted pillars, fancy railings, and had the severity of a European cathedral.

Hannibal answered the door promptly.

"Merry Christmas Will," Hannibal smiled.

"Merry Christmas to you too," Will smiled back.

Mercifully, it turned out Hannibal was just renting the house. "But I am hunting for something more permanent at the current moment,"

Will scoffed at that. He gently set Eddie and his doggie bed on the floor of the living room. He just had some milk, and should stay asleep.

"How old are you again?"

Hannibal put an apton on and approached the oven. "Thirty three,"

"Jesus,"

"Remind me, you're twenty nine?"

"Something that's now immortalized in the hall of fame by Freddy Lounds,"

Hannibal brought out a deep tray of liver. After wrapping it in foul, dousing it in salt and herbs, he dramatically let a swig of vodka douse the pan. Then, he lit the dish on fire. Will was entranced.

"You're... very talented," Will said, half-speechless. The golden flames reflected so beautifully on Will's blue eyes. Hannibal wanted to take the image and sear it in his memories forever.

Hannibal was not stingy with his dramaticism. After extinguishing the flames, he unwrapped the cut of meat and skewered it. The pot of salt and vodka was relit, and the liver was placed exposed back on top for a makeshift barbecue. Hannibal brushed an oil glaze on both sides as it continued to cook.

It was extravagant, posh, and entirely performative. Will felt smitten.

They sat down to eat and Will realized Hannibal wasn't without substance.

"This is quite possibly the best cut of meat I've had in my life." Will commented.

"I'm glad. I have to admit, the idea of you eating alone on Christmas bothered me,"

Will took a sip of wine. Hannibal assured him that the bottle he brought would pair nicely. And it did. "Should I comment on your own solitude this day. I'm shocked that you don't throw extravagant holiday parties or host family this time of year,"

Hannibal set down his fork. "I've been an orphan for most of my life. And as an immigrant, I'm accustomed to spending the holidays alone,"

"I didn't know that. I'm sorry,"

"It's quite alright. And I do enjoy hosting dinner parties, as a matter of fact," Hannibal said with a salacious grin.

They retired to the opulent living room. The fireplace that centered the room was thankfully nonfunctional, which benefitted Will for Eddie's sake. Hannibal poured them both another glass and they silently watched the small puppy trot around his small bed.

"Did you make use of your empathy, at the crime scene?"

"I think you know the answer to that. You just like hearing me talk."

"I do. I'm fascinated by the phenomenon,"

"I just have an overactive imagination. It's useful in very specific instances, and a nuisance in every day life,"

"How so?"

Will set his glass down and stood up, approaching Hannibal where he was seated in a red-hued leather arm chair.

"I have a very vivid image coming to mind right now,"

Hannibal extended his hands to pull Will onto his lap. Now straddling him, Will leaned closer to kiss Hannibal. His smooth lips tasted like the rosemary from dinner and wine.

Hannibal quickly brought his hand to rest around Will's waist, guiding him closer on his lap. Their kiss became more fervent and Hannibal let his groin rock against Will's. There was unavoidably friction from the many layers, but their firm bulges together felt electric.

"Baby, baby let's slow down for a second," Will finally said. He didn't want to stop, but he knew he didn't want to fuck this up again.

"Is something wrong?" Hannibal asked in a concerned tone.

"No, I just... I've enjoyed the evening. I don't want to jump back into Philadelphia again. The meaningless sex that has feelings, that is,"

"Of course," Hannibal smiled. He looked genuinely... proud. "Let's reconfigure ourselves then."

They sat on the larger sofa, facing each other and arm around shoulder.

"You surprise me a little bit, every day," Will admitted.

"I like seeing you smile like this, and I'd do a number of unspeakable things to keep that smile on your face,"

Will cupped Hannibal's face with one hand to gently kiss him.

"I'd love to see you again. Ideally when Eddie is more independent."

"I must ask, where did the name 'Eddie' come from?"

Will chuckled at that. "It's from an old sitcom, Frasier. It was my favorite show growing up. The dog on the show is also a Jack Russell Terrier, and his name is Eddie,"

"You're incredibly saccharine and I enjoy it immensely," Hannibal half-whispered.

"That's not even the worst part. All I could think of... after the article came out, was an episode where the protagonist, Frasier, gets hounded by everyone he knows because there's a big prize for anyone who can get a picture of his ass."

Hannibal looked perplexed and bewildered. But also wholly enamored.

"I'm a bigger fan of the dog than of that episode's premise,"

Will laughed at that. God, this was perfect.

"I should be heading out soon. I really, really want to see you again,"

"Likewise, this evening has been nothing short of ideal,"

They made out more in the foyer, messy and ravishing, even as Will had his keys in one hand. Eddie's rustling distracted them enough to bring them back to earth.

Will couldn't wait to see what the world would throw at him next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not familiar with what puppies do/act like at 8 weeks old. So for the purposes of this story, Eddie will be sleeping and doing random puppy thingies. 
> 
> Frasier episode in reference: Radio Wars, S07E03
> 
> I have literally never, in my life, cooked meat. So the recipe described is something I saw in Tik Tok
> 
> Next up: Freddy Lounds and Bedelia in the flesh! Dead flesh! And of course, New Years!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"You're not going to blow me in my office, there's no way," Will said with an incredulous look._
> 
> _"Yes, I am," Hannibal responded._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've noticed that this fic's title has changed multiple times... no you did not <3
> 
> My app crashed as I was writing and I lost like 3k words. So I threw a small hissy fit and finally got around to writing this.

JHU Consultants Task Force:

_ (12-25 10:39pm) jcrawford@jhu.edu: There's another crime scene. With it literally being Christmas day, I won't force anyone to come in.  Here's the address if you want it.  _

The message vibrated Will's cell phone in his left hand. Doggy crate in the right. 

"You've gotta be kidding me," Will said. 

Just as he set Eddie down in the backseat of his car, Hannibal opened his front door. 

"Will!" 

"I saw, yeah," Will called back. They stared at each other from across Hannibal's front yard. Will was tired. He'd just had the perfect date. Just the right amount of wine, kissing, and general flirting. He was tired. He wanted to pass out on his bed the minute he got in the door. 

"I'm reticent to go myself, but it appears your student doctoral candidates are in." 

Will looked down at his phone. 

_(12-25 10:40pm) jprice@jhu.edu: I'm in. Can't wait to see what the Ripper gave us for Christmas this year!_

_ (12-25 10:40pm) bzeller@jhu.edu: I can be there in 15 _

_ (12-25 10:41pm) bkatz@jhu.edu: Anything to get away from my family.  _

Will sighed. "What the hell am I supposed to do with Eddie?"

Turns out, the answer was simple. The two men drove separately to the pinned address that Jack left them. It was a shady motel room just outside the city, complete with fluorescent flickering lights and stained mattresses that lit up under blacklights. 

Jack wasn't there. Understandably, he was with Bella this evening. Alana was stuck at her in-laws' house, and Frederick was simply MIA. Zeller and Pice were already inside when Will got there. Beverly gave Will a curious glance as he got out of the truck holding a doggy-crate. 

"New doctoral candidate?" 

"Oh yeah. His thesis needs work,"

Will felt comfortable letting the local PD fawn over and watch Eddie, so long as one of his doctoral candidates was there too. As it turns out, the local PD that were forced to work on Christmas didn't want to be there. Especially with a gruesome slashed-open body sitting in the bathtub. 

Hannibal showed up shortly after, and the two went inside the room as a local cop gave them the stats. 

"Victim's is a white male, early 30s. No ID, COD appears to be a stab wound to the abdomen."

"The Ripper got lazy on us. Didn't even wrap this little stocking stuffer," Price said, absentmindedly making notes on a small pad of paper. 

It was true. While usually the Ripper left them crime scenes that were performative and dramatic, this was just laziness. No careful consideration for presentation here. Just a man, slumped over in a bathtub. 

"It appears he's missing a kidney," Hannibal said, leaning down slightly to get a better view of the gash wound. 

"It's more urban legend than Ripper," Will quietly commented. It was too loud and crowded to concentrate on the crime scene and see the violence unfold. 

"Brian, Jimmy, did you know there's a puppy in the parking lot?" Hannibal calmly asked. 

They both immediately left the room in a hurry at the sound of that. Their gloves snapped off and Will could hear their awes and cooing. 

"I'll be outside, holding them off for as long as possible."

As Hannibal shut the bathroom door behind him, Will felt a little dumbfounded. Was he that transparent? Or did Hannibal just understand Will that well?

He took a deep breathe and decided to not let it bother him anymore. 

The whole scene unfolded in his mind. A messy and desperate fight to get the man into the bathtub. Kneeling on him to keep him down, Will made a quick cut across the side of his stomach. The blood spilled everywhere, and the man's thrashing turned into catatonia. Will panicked. He made another cut, higher near the heart. He reached inside. Internal cardiac massage. But for nothing. He would die anyway. 

Will left the bathroom, to see Hannibal silently standing in the room. Now, all 3 doctoral students and the local cops were entranced by Eddie. Forgetting the fact that there was a dead body less than 50 feet away. 

"This wasn't the Ripper," Will said. 

Hannibal didn't comment. Instead, he led them outside and away from the putrid smell of decay. Back towards the parking lot where they surrounded Eddie outside of Will's car. 

"There's signs of a struggle. The Ripper takes down bigger victims all the time, much easier. This wasn't cruel. It was desperate. He was trying to save him,"

Brian finally perked up his ears at that. 

"It has to be the Ripper. It fits the timeline, there's organs missing, and he didn't try to destroy evidence,"

"Just because he was on display doesn't make it... art," Will snapped back. 

"HEY!" Beverly shouted, looking past Will and Brian. 

A small woman with fiery red curls and a comically large camera was poking her head in the open door of the motel room. Before anyone could do anything, Beverly took off. The woman was on the ground and pinned with her arms behind her back after a quick moment. 

As she thrashed on the ground, Will approached with a vengeful gait. 

"Freddie Lounds,"

"Doctor Graham, it's great to finally meet in person," Freddie said. The real cops finally approached the scene, and took Freddie by the upper arms towards a police car. She stared back at Will with a contentious gaze. Something that bore deep in his soul, almost daring him to approach her again. Taunting like a schoolyard bully. 

"Officers," Will said. They looked up at him with confused faces. 

"It's Christmas. Let's cut Ms. Lounds a break," 

Unsure of why, they let go of Freddie and went back to the scene. 

"Ms. Lounds, I don't appreciate your kind of journalism." Will said. "Especially when you use the sex appeal of an unwilling participant as clickbait," 

"I didn't entrap you into doing or saying anything. You chose to show up commando," 

Will scoffed at that. "I'll be blunt. If Jack or Cade were here, you'd be in a cruiser and heading to some dingy jail for the night. Charged for obstructing justice. Christmas in an interrogation room. Keep your distance from all of us. And have a Merry Christmas," 

Freddie wasn't sure what to make of this little speech. She brushed off some gravel from her coat and headed off into the night. 

"I must ask, why did you prevent Ms. Lounds from being arrested?" Hannibal asked. 

Will took the doggy crate from Price, the only person left who stayed with Eddie even after Freddie Lounds got involved. With his car keys in one hand, he turned back to answer. 

"I don't appreciate her kind of journalism, but it does have it's benefits. This wasn't the Ripper. But we want the Ripper thinking we think it is," 

* * *

Will sat in the opulently decorated office of Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier, waiting for her to finish pouring a glass of water. 

For whatever reason, she had an appointment available on the 29th. Will took it. 

"You've had a lot happen since our last appointment," Bedelia said. 

"That's putting it lightly," Will said. She gently placed the glass of water on the table next to Will's chair. She was always so poised and delicate around Will. Treating him like a glass figurine that would break upon the smallest vibration. Physically, at least. 

"Did you revisit Philadelphia?" 

"I did." 

"You work intensely hard to maintain barriers between the separate aspects of your life. Work in Baltimore, intimacy in Philadelphia, relaxation on a frozen lake somewhere in Virginia," 

"It works for me. And there's been a degree of... overlap recently," 

"Do you consider this physical distance a symptom of dissociation?" 

"I consider my actual dissociating a symptom of dissociating," 

"Have you lost time recently?" 

"I found myself sitting on a park bench recently, no memory of how I got there. I was only 10 minutes from my apartment, but I had to have been sitting there for at least 45 minutes," 

"And is this from the troubling events in Philadelphia, or your new job?" 

"Yes.... is the answer to that." 

Bedelia pursed her lips and pulled out a piece of paper from her desk. 

"This concerns me. Have you considered that you could have physical, alongside mental illness?" 

"I think that's what I pay you to figure out," 

All of their conversations went like this. Poking and prodding each other in quippy conversation. All of Will's previous therapists or psychiatrists were entirely too interested or wholly uninterested. Elderly men who haf-listened for symptoms that would warrant a specific medication, or bright-eyed graduates who wanted to trace every anxious moment to the Freudian wrongs of Will's parents. Bedelia was different. She seemed genuinely curious about Will and his life. But entirely unaffected by him too. 

"I would encourage you to manage your stress. But it seems, aside from these symptoms, you're living a fruitful life. Pets, new job, dating." 

"It would seem so," 

Will left Bedelia's office and headed straight for his office at the University. With the amount of papers piling up, it was getting harder to analyze photos and look over reports from the tiny coffee table in Will's living room. Eddie was mobile enough to chew on photos of dead bodies if he wanted, which meant he was also old enough to be left alone for a few hours now.

After what felt like half an hour of pouring over photos and scribbling notes in the margins, his phone went off. 

_ Will, is everything alright? _

_ Yeah, of course. What's going on?  _

_ It's nearing 7. Are you at home?  _

Will blinked and looked at the time on the center of the screen. 6:56 pm. He hurridly clicked Hannibal's contact name on the screen and pressed the phone icon.

"Hannibal, I'm sorry," Will said, feeling a pit of guilt pool in his stomach. He was supposed to meet Hannibal at his office at 6 for a work-date. "I lost track of time. I'm, ah, I'm in my office," 

"I'll come to you," Hannibal said. Will hung up and rubbed his eyes. This was the second time in as many days that he lost time. Jesus. 

Hannibal's office was across campus, at least a 15 minute walk away. After 20 minutes, there was a quick knock on the door. 

"Hey," Will said, with a sheepish grin "Come on in," 

Will's office had the same cubic footing and concrete walls as a freshman dorm. Instead of fairy lights and posters of bands, Will had wall-to-ceiling book cases and chalkboards. It wasn't dirty, but the piles of paper everywhere made it evident that he wasn't completely present. 

"Are you alright?" Hannibal asked. He showed no signs of anger or disappointment with being stood up. He seemed genuinely concerned for Will. 

"I lost time. It's been happening a lot more recently. Not that that's an e-"

Hannibal decided he had enough of Will's mumbling and shut him up with a kiss. Fervent and passionate, with a tight grip that came with requisitely. This was a stolen moment, not a time to explore languorously. Not that it'd be likely, but they were still in an office on their college campus. 

Will gripped Hannibal by the collar and threw them both backwards, careening towards the wall. With cat-like reflexes, Hannibal's hand came out to cup Will's head from the hard walls. 

"You're risking your livelihood, those hands, for me Doctor Lecter?" Will whispered against Hannibal's lips. 

"I'm risking my professional career to do a lot more than prevent a concussion," Hannibal said, roughly taking Will's belt buckle in his grip. They kissed feverishly as Hannibal unbuckled his belt with deft fingers. Through his briefs, Will's cock was bulging and the head poked out obscenely from the top of the elastic. 

"H-Hannibal," Will gasped, as Hannibal reached inside to pump his cock quickly. Before Will could react, Hannibal sunk to the ground and pulled his briefs down more, now bunched up around his mid-thighs with his jeans. 

"You're not going to blow me in my office, there's no way," Will said with an incredulous look. Feet away at the scratchy fabric chair, undergrads sat and begged for better grades. There were visible pictures of dead people on the desk, for chrissakes. 

"Yes, I am," Hannibal responded. He took Will's cock by the base in one hand and let his lips sink around the head. Smooth, perfectly wet lips that teased Will. Hannibal's tongue started lavishing the frenulum and the slit with attention, bobbing up and down Will's cock. Will could fo little more than gasp little  _ unh unh unhs  _ that probably echoed loudly down the corridor halls, for all to hear. Hannibal wanted everyone at the University to see and hear Will like this. Lost in pure carnal energy, sweat lightly gathering on his forehead, lips slightly agape and tinged red.

Hannibal doubled down and started sucking further, making little choking noises from intentionally letting Will reach the back of his throat. He used the hand not gripping Will's leg for leverage to fondle his balls, drawn tight in need. 

"Jesus, Hannibal, I-I'm gonna come," 

Through hooded eyes, Hannibal kept blowing him. Wordlessly communicating that it was okay. He sucked his cheeks in and lavished the shaft with a semi-suction feeling that made Will whimper. His torso started quivering and he let out a small moan. Hannibal immediately swallowed, and gave the head one last languid lick before pulling away completely. 

"C'mere," 

With his hands at Hannibal's forearms, he pulled the slightly oxygen-deprived man up to rest against his chest. They rested there, breathing deeply for a while. Eventually, Will pulled back to tuck himself in and zip up his pants again. 

"I look forward to reciprocating at dome point soon," Will whispered in Hannibal's ear. This made him smile. They kissed each other slowly, completely indifferent to the world around them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Freddie Lounds does what she does best. Also, New Years!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Hannibal kept working. Scalpel in one hand, and forehead gleaming with concentrated sweat. Forearms flexing in the florescent light, holding the power of life and death in his fingertips._
> 
> _He looked like God, Will thought._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when Bryan Fuller said they flip??

After their impromptu office sex, both Hannibal and Will cleaned up a bit and cracked a window. They were reviewing reports when the proverbial bat signal that was the JHU Chesapeake Ripper Task Force was flashed. 

_ (12-29 8:17pm) jcrawford@jhu.edu: We have a lead on the Ripper. We're closing in on him. Everyone come to my office. Not PHD students - sorry Z.  _

Hannibal and Will showed up after taking a long stroll there, separately. It seemed Frederick was on a plane back from Puerto Vallarta at the moment, and still not available. Alana's absence was noticed, but not mention. 

"Will, Hannibal, glad you could make it. We've found a lead on where the Ripper is. The FBI is letting us see the takedown of this monster." 

And so they were huddled into an FBI van, next to SWAT team guys. When their masks were off, they were actually normal, cool guys. They had a tough-it-out mentality that reminded him of the boatyards of his childhood. When the rocking of the van cane to a halt, the laughter immediately stopped. They got out, armed with guns and precision arms, in a uniformed dance. Will and Hannibal were forced to stay inside the van until the Ripper was securely apprehended. It faced away from the crime scene, do they wouldn't even be able to see the takedown. 

There was more shuffling from outside. Some voices. And then-

"DOCTOR LECTER!!!!!" Jack's voice boomed, piercing through the air. The two men scurried out of the van, approaching the scene. 

In the back of the ambulance, with the back doors ajar, stood a greasy looking white man. His hand was massaging... inside a body laid out on a stretcher. Apparently, he couldn't stop working or the man would die. 

"I need you to assess the situation," Jack said. Hannibal nodded and jogged towards the ambulance, simultaneously rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. There were at least 10 sniper rifles on the suspect. Hannibal calmly jumped onto the bumper, then crouched down at the so-called Ripper's side. He took a pair of plastic gloves from the ambulance's tray table and slapped them on. He peered inside at what the man was trying to do, and nudged him away. Hannibal's hand replaced his, and the suspect shuffled out of the ambulance. As soon as he was more than 5 feet away, a SWAT guy tackled him and they all rushed to cuff him. 

Hannibal kept working. Scalpel in one hand, and forehead gleaming with concentrated sweat. Forearms flexing in the florescent light, holding the power of life and death in his fingertips. 

He looked like God, Will thought. 

* * *

Price called it the article heard 'round the world. 

Will was on the floor of his apartment, scrubbing the dog urine out of the floorboards. It was his fault for leaving Eddie alone for so long the previous night. He managed to cleaned up the spots in his bedroom before passing out. It was 10:37 in the morning when his task force's groupchat blew up again. Every text rattled the table his phone rested on. 

_ (12-30 10:33am) jcrawford@jhu.edu: I'm talking with higher-ups about how we can denounce Freddie Lounds as a university _

_(12-30 10:34am) abloom@jhu.edu: I don't even understand how she got those pictures_

_ (12-30 10:34am) bzeller@jhu.edu: or how she even knew where to get them _

_ (12-30 10:35am) jcrawford@jhu.edu: I'm talking with Cade about how we can turn this into legal action.  _

The rest of the messages read just like that. Sighing, Will leaned back against the sofa. What in God's name fid Freddie Lounds do this time. Photoshop Jack into some lingerie? Find a picture of Alana and her wife? Post Chilton's nudes?

What he didn't expect, when the Tattle Crime front page loaded on his phone, was a picture of Hannibal. From last night, with his sleeves rolled up, hands deep in a blurred over body. 

_ CHESAPEAKE RIPPER TASK FORCE HAS TWO ZADDIES?  _

Will didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He kept scrolling. 

_ In what sources call a botched attempt at finding the Chesapeake Ripper, it seemed the young and devilishly handsome Dr. Hannibal Lecter was there to save the day.  _

Will called Hannibal the moment he finished the article. 

"Darling," Hannibal purred from the other end. 

"You sound way too happy for what's going on."

"I don't appreciate her brand of journalism, but this seems to have a silver lining. Now, the FBI will be forced to deal with Freddie Lounds' insipid tactics," 

"You really... really sound too happy about all this," 

"I'm focusing my attention into better pursuits. I'm actually hosting a New Years Eve party. The task force will be invited," 

"So, let me get this straight," Will said, standing up and approaching the bathroom. He started rubbing his forearms down with soap and hot water with his cell perched against one ear. "You get turned into clickbait, and your solution is to host a dinner party?" 

"Yes. Can I count on you to join me, tomorrow?" 

Will scoffed at that, before shaking his hands dry. After rubbing his hands down, he opened his bedroom and let Eddie scurry out. He shut the door after him, fully intending to take advantage of Hannibal's tone. 

"You can. Can I bring anything?" Will asked. He sat down on the bed and waited for an answer. 

"Just yourself. And Eddie. He'd be a perfect plus-one," 

"Not just a work party then, we get to bring dates?" Will asked, letting his hands trail down his shirt. 

"Of course. It would be inconsiderate to expect Dr. Crawford, or Dr. Bloom to abandon their spouses on new years eve," 

"I don't think you understand.  We get to bring  dates ?" Will finally leaned back in bed. His hands wandered to his drawstring pants, shucking them down. 

"Ah. In which case, no. Should anyone but a small puppy show up on your arm, I'll throw him off a cliff myself," 

Will laughed at that. "I'm bad at dating. I bet you're extraordinary," 

"I wholeheartedly disagree. You know how to be courteous, and share a pleasant evening," 

"What about something a little less courteous and more... expletive? And not anevening, but a whole night?" Will asked coyly. His hands drifted over his bulge, growing ever so slightly. 

"I did in fact, recently, have one of those nights. Are you touching yourself right now?" 

"Of course. I'd love to hear more about this memory, soon." 

_ Will pulled his mouth off of Hannibal's dick with an undignified plopping sound. Hannibal was squirming so much, and Will had a better idea for what to do next.  _

_ "Flip over," Will commanded. Struggling to hold his composure, Hannibal turned over on the bed, now on his knees and forearms. His cock was rigid as a pipe and Will lamented the loss of not getting to have it in his mouth again.  _

_ Will instead dove face-first into Hannibal's ass, laving his hole with licks and attentive kisses. Hannibal squirmed and eventually broke, sobbing and arching his back.  _

_ Will wasted no time in his explorations. He let his hands caress Hannibal's ass as he continued. Eventually, he kneeled up and shoved Hannibal onto his lap.  _

_ "Suck," Will commanded. Hannibal wordlessly accepted, taking Will's two fingers into his mouth. He was almost getting into it too, so reverently letting his lips slide up and down his knuckles.  _

_ That's when Will pushed him back down onto the bed, and shoved his back down to arch. He slid one finger first, letting Hannibal adjust to him. Will lowered himself back down and fingered him while licking and sucking around his hole.  _

_ "Darling, p-please,"  _

_ "I told you, I'd do anything if you kept calling me darling  _

* * *

"Hannibal?" 

"Yes darling?" 

"Does this mean we're dating?" 

"Yes darling," 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: I know I've been saying they'll have New Years soon, but I promise it'll be next chapter!! 
> 
> I finally know where I'm going with this one. I think there'll be just one or two more chapters. Open-ended with the possibility for more works in the future. 
> 
> As always, suspend your disbelief with me and enjoy the ride. I love your comments and kudos.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"You're familiar with the New Years kiss concept, correct?" Will said, indulgently nestling into Hannibal's side._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally New Years for the team! It wouldn't be Hannibal without a dinner party, would it?

Hannibal was, apparently, sticking with his plan to host a New Years Eve party. Complete with formalwear and plus-ones. He even invited some of his fellow professors to attend. All in all, the guest list was looking like it'd be Hannibal, Will and Eddie, Jack Crawford and his wife Bella, Alana and her wife Margot, Frederick, Beverly, Brian, Jimmy, and a few other doctor-friends that Will didn't particularly know or care about. 

Guests were invited to join anytime between 9 and 10pm. Will personally was invited to join Hannibal at 8. He'd act as Hannibal's doting sous-chef and steal kisses before the guests arrive. It was also the perfect opportunity to announce themselves as a couple. 

Will came back to reality in his boxers, staring blankly out on his balcony. The cool windy air jolted his nerves as he breathed, trying to reset his mind. The sun had set, but it was out just a minute ago? 

He took a deep breath and sighed. The last time he checked his watch it was 5:15pm

It was now 8:42. 

Will ran inside and took the quickest and most thorough shower of his life. One hand holding a diffuser to his head, the other furiously brushing his teeth. While he was pulling on a pair of trousers, he checked his phone. No messages from Hannibal. God, he must be mad at Will. 

Will pulled up to Hannibal's house at 9:13pm. There was only one other car out front. A maroon Jaguar that he didn't recognize. It wasn't Hannibal's, and it definitely wasn't anyone else's on the task force. Actually, he wouldn't put it past Frederick to have such a pretentious car. It had to be one of the doctors Hannibal knew. 

Eddie yipped from his doggy crate in the passenger seat. 

"Yeah yeah, we're going," 

Will rang the doorbell and could hear ambient classical music being played from inside. He brushed off some nonexistent dirt from his maroon button-up just as the fromt door opened. 

"Hi. Happy almost-new year," Alana said. She wore a navy blue dress, hair to the side, and black kitten heels. 

"Hey," Will greeted. He definitely didn't expect Alana to be the early bird. They walked inside and into the kitchen together. 

In the kitchen, Hannibal was searching his fridge for something. Another woman with dark brown, pin-straight hair was at the kitchen island, pouring some bitters into a cocktail shaker. 

"Margot, this is my coworker Doctor Will Graham," Alana said. So this was Alana's wife. He only knew of her by name, and had never seen a picture of her before. She had big, sad eyes that were distracted from the bright red lipstick she wore. Or maybe it was the other way around. She wore a gold dress that covered most of her body.

"It's so good to meet you," Margot said, shaking Will's free hand. 

"Will, so good to see you," Hannibal said. He didn't appear perturbed that he was over an hour late without explanation. Instead, he was focused on carefully carving a flower out of a strawberry with a serrated knife. 

"Is this Eddie?" Alana asked. 

"Yes, but we should probably get acquainted with him away from the kitchen," Will chuckled. The two women and Will went into the living room and let Eddie out. He wandered around curiously, then into the arms of Margot and Alana. They were smitten. 

"He looks like a Jack Russell and... a beagle maybe?" Alana asked inquisitively as Eddie licked her fingers. 

"I'm not sure either. A nice old couple's Jack Russell got knocked up, not sure by who. I'mguessing a border collie," 

"He's very calm," Margot commented. 

"He's been socialized. He met most of the task force when we were trying to catch the Ripper a few days ago,"

Margot stared at Alana, shocked. 

"Oh, no, I wasn't there. This was the one on Christmas Day at the motel, right?" Alana quickly corrected. 

"Yeah. Pikesville PD and Jimmy forgot they were investigators for a second," Will chuckled. 

"Jimmy posted pictures of you and Eddie," Alana jokingly said. 

Will felt comfortable enough leaving Eddie with the two women, sharing him in their arms like a newborn. He walked up to the kitchen where Hannibal stood, looking out over several trays of opulent canapés and other hors d'oeuvre with pride. He sipped on a glass of wine, like God resting on the seventh day. 

"Hey," Will said shyly. 

"Darling, it's good to see you," Hannibal said. He quickly gave Will a kiss on the forehead. He was being loving. Doting. 

"I'm sorry I'm late, I lost track of myself," 

"I must confess, I too forgot the time with all the cookin-"

"No, I lost time. I woke up on my balcony. I got here after the world's most rushed shower and practically going 80 miles an hour," 

Hannibal sighed. "This concerns me. I wish you would consider seeing a psychiatrist, or consider stepping back from your work on the force," 

"I'm considering it. Really. But just for tonight, lets forget that the Chespeake Ripper," 

"Not necessarily," Hannibal commented, setting down his glass so he could gently wrap his arms around Will's waist. Pulling him closer, he purred "I believe we were going to enjoy ourselves into the early hours of tomorrow as well," 

Will's face burned red. If this was a porno, it'd be the moment that he knocked the trays of food off the table and flung their belts off. But this was a formal, adult dinner party. 

"I'll hold you to that," Will said with a stupid grin plastered on his face. One that didn't completely go away even as he kissed Hannibal, deeply, pushing him into the edge of the counter. 

The doorbell rang and they pulled themselves from each other. Alana and Margot answered the door together, Margot holding Eddie on her shoulder. 

"Alana, it's great to see you," Jack greeted Alana. 

"Bella, it's great to see you again. This is Margot, my wife," Alana said. The four of them shook hands, even with a squirming and attention-starved Eddie in Margot's arms. 

"Dr. Lecter," Jack called out from the foyer. "And Dr. Graham," 

"Please, tonight just Hannibal," he said warmly. He gestured to the coat rack where Jack promptly hung up their coats. 

"Bella, lovely seeing you again," Will said with a smile. They met for the first time at a beginning-of-semester faculty mixer. She walked with the same quiet reverence that Hannibal did. 

Bella joined Margot in the living room to acquaint themselves further with Eddie, while Jack came to the table to learn what there was to eat, and drink. 

"I have a few bottles of dark liquor. Unfortunately, most are nearly empty." Hannibal said, as he reached into a cabinet for scotch. 

"Consider me a big fan of recycling," Jack laughed. He glanced over the canapés and asked with genuine interest about every dish. 

"We have a wide variety of dishes, but I think you'll enjoy this one the most. Wasabi shrimp, with avocado and sesame seeds. Take one, before we serve to the masses," Hannibal said, gently tapping on the edge of one of the trays. Jack took one and chewed, immediately signaling he was a fan. 

Hannibal and Will carried the trays into the large living room. The fireplace was covered with an opulent grandfather clock, the kind you'd find in an antique store. At several tables were clean martini glasses and liquor glasses. Different clear punch bowls with the drinks written on folded notecards, not in Hannibal's handwriting. One table simply had a proper bar cart, flush with liquor and wine and beer. 

More and more people started coming. Next was Frederick. While the newly-tanned man regaled them with stories about Mexico, they were thankfully interrupted by the arrival of Dr. Donald Sutcliffe, one of Hannibal's doctor friends. It could have been awkward, but Jack was incredibly friendly after a drink, it seemed. The mutual topic of conversation, Eddie, was also a great icebreaker for all the people who didn't seem to know each other. 

Next came Beverly, Brian, and Jimmy. For a couple of kids in their mid twenties, they cleaned up pretty good. 

Another doctor friend of Hannibal's showed up when he finally gently tapped a fork to the side of his glass to call their attention. 

"Thank you all for coming. To ring in the new year, we have a selection of hor d'oeuvres, graciously labeled by Dr. Alana Bloom. We have an assortment of liquors and wine bitters, for those interested in their own mixology. For those who aren't, I've prepared a large amount of Sazerac. There's also more than enough non-alcoholic lemonade, and water for our heroes tonight; the designated drivers." 

Alana, Bella, and Beverly raised their glasses to that. 

"I must warn you all though. Nothing here is vegetarian," Hannibal finished with a devilish grin. That got a roar of laughter from everyone. 

After a few moments, Will finally pulled Hannibal in close. 

"Sazerac?" 

"A New Orleans drink, is it not?" 

Will blinked at that. "It is," 

"I thought it'd be inappropriate to serve Hurricanes," 

Will practically pulled Hannibal to the kitchen, to desperately and feverishly kiss him. Grinding against a cabinet until they finally pulled themselves away to return to the party. 

Will hated parties, but this was as close as he was he was going to get to an 'ideal' party. Only a few strangers, and the social lubricant of a dog and alcohol. 

Upon finding himself next to Alana and Margot, Will finally brought up the question that was nagging him. 

"You have gorgeous handwriting," Will awkwardly said, lips around the bottom of his Sazerac. 

"She does," Margot smiled, sipping her own red wine. 

"I think this is as good segue as any," Alana started. "Before you drunkenly hear it from Jimmy, I'm pregnant," 

"Wow, ah, congratulations!" Will said, feeling compelled to hug Alana. "To both of you," 

"We had to show up early to let the host know. Hannibal was very accommodating," Margot said. Her low voice wasn't unfriendly, but she had an air of protectionism that surrounded the two women. 

They fell into a moment of silence before Will felt compelled to say something. 

"Is Jimmy really already drunk?" 

"You should see for yourself," Alana giggled, At the other end of the room there was Jimmy, Brian, Frederick, and another doctlr were bickering about something. Actually, the stranger was simply observing the 2 on 1 attack on Frederick. 

"A proper martini needs to be double strained-" 

"-Into a frozen glass-"

"-With ice shards, I assure you-"

Will stared at them, unsure if he should save his doctoral students from the obnoxious man. 

"Dr. Donald Sutcliffe," the stranger introduced himself. 

"Dr. Will Graham. A friend of Hannibal's?" Will asked. 

"Yes, we were residents together at Georgetown. Roommates, actually. Somehow both ended up at Johns Hopkins," 

Will felt a stab of jealousy pierce his heart. The most irrational kind. He forced himself to stay upright and cordial with Donald. 

"Are you also a surgeon?" 

"Oh no, I'm a neurologist," 

A moment of awkward silence fell between the two men. 

"I-I'm sorry, I'm having trouble imagining Hannibal as a college student," Will nervously laughed. 

"He was very formal, even back then. We went through dozens of roommates who were wanted to relive their frat years," 

"I'm assuming he had none of that?" 

"Not even a little," 

The crowd at the party intermingled with each other, Hannibal usually at Will's side. At some point, Will was alone and just trying to find Eddie. 

"You know, I had him not ten minutes ago," Jack commented, carefully trying to retrace his steps. Bella rolled her eyes. "Jimmy took him for more selfies," 

Sure enough, Beverly was holding Eddie in one hand, and a glass of water in the other. 

"Thanks. Are the boys alright?" Will asked. 

"They're gonna regret existing tomorrow morning. But yes, they're fine," 

Will slyly placed his arm on the small of Hannibal's back, as he was obviously painfully talking with Frederick and Dr. Gideon, another one of Hannibal's friends. 

"Do you need any help with the champagne?" Will asked, completely innocently. 

"How gracious of you to offer, please." 

Instead, they went outside on the porch. Eddie peed onto one of the bushes and then started nibbling on some food in a small bowl Will brought. 

"He might be the most popular guest tonight," Hannibal commented. The two men stood close together, shielding each other from the cold winter winds. 

"Perhaps," Will said, drawing his lips closer to Hannibal. They kissed slowly, lavishing each other with love that tasted like lemon from the Sazerac and peanuts from the hor d'oeuvres. 

"We do need to actually start preparing champagne, before they think of me as a bad host." 

So they pulled themselves inside, where Will gave Eddie to Brian. Will poured the glasses of sparking cider while Hannibal handled the expensive bottle of champagne. 

At 11:53, he approached Alana, Dr. Gideon, Jack, and Bella. 

"It's sparkling cider," Will smiled, as Bella graciously took her glass. 

"And lemonade. Champagne will be ready in a moment," Hannibal interupted, with a champagne flute of lemonade for Alana.

"My wife craved lemonade during her pregnancy as well," Dr. Gideon commented. The secret was out, it seemed. 

"Where is she tonight?" Jack asked. Bella gave him a disapproving glare. Jack looked comfortable, but clearly enjoying the leftover liquor that Hannibal had. 

Jimmy and Brian, on the other hand, looked sloshed. 

"Sparkling cider," Will said. The three of them were bickering about something as Beverly took hers. "What are you kids arguing about?" 

"You're only... like, four years older than me," Brian lamented. Jimmy was patting Eddie's back as he laid nestled onto his chest. 

"Yeah, I think we'll head out soon after the clock strikes midnight. They're figuring out who is gonna kiss who at midnight," Beverly said while rolling her eyes. 

"Just because I'm gay, doesn't mean I'll automatically want to kiss Brian over you," Jimmy said with a dramatic drawl. 

Hannibal had managed to serve everyone champagne in the same amount of time it took for Will to deliver two flutes of sparkling cider. They stood at the window together, as the crowd grew to a quiet murmuring. They all kept an eye on the opulent grandfather clock, just a minute away from the new year. 

"You're familiar with the New Years kiss concept, correct?" Will said, indulgently nestling into Hannibal's side. 

"I am, but not with experience," Hannibal said. His arm laid around Will's shoulders, unashamed in how possessive it was. 

"Thirty seconds everyone!" 

"Would you like to? I don't think we got around to actually telling anyone about us tonight," Will said. 

"As the writers say, show not tell," 

"Ten!" 

"Nine!" 

"Eight!"

"Seven!" 

"Six!" 

"Five!" 

"Four!" 

"Three!" 

"Two!" 

"One!" 

The world could have exploded around them for all Will knew. He let Hannibal hold his cheek softly and bring them close for the kiss. The electric touch of soft and hot was overwhelming. And they did return to earth, in a daze. 

* * *

At 12:13, Beverly practically dragged Jimmy and Brian by their collars to the front door. 

"You have a lovely home, thank you for inviting us," Brian said to Hannibal with Will at his side. Brian was shifting a little on his feet, but was much more dignified than Jimmy, who was practically in tears over having to give Eddie back. 

"I kissed Eddie for the New Year kiss. He actually just licked my nose, but..." 

Will sheepishly grinned at that, not sure what to say. Now, he was cursed with the knowledge that Jimmy and Eddie shared puppy kisses, or that Beverly and Brian kissed. 

At 12:21, Doctor Gideon bid them farewell. 

At 12:25, so did Dr. Sutcliffe. 

"It's been a pleasure seeing you again," Hannibal said with a warm smile. 

"Likewise. Only you could throw a new years eve party that was still perfectly formal," 

At 12:36, Jack and Bella left alongside Alana and Margot. They shook hands and thanked Hannibal for a pleasant evening. 

And then, the house was finally silent. What was once a quiet roar of voices was just pure silence, save for the fireworks in the distance. 

"Hey baby," Will said with a grin plastered on his face. He quickly stole a kiss from Hannibal and mischievously walked away, picking up the dog crate in the corner of the room. Eddie was clearly tired, and practically asleep even as he was set down inside. 

"Darling," Hannibal purred, caging Will into the side of the banister as soon as he was upright again. They tumbled up the stairs, indulgently unbuttoning shirt buttons and throwing off blazers. Hannibal guided Will into the last bedroom on the left, practically falling onto the bed with Will. 

"I must confess, there is something I regret about our night in Philadelphia," Hannibal said, lips suckling at Will's pulse point. 

"Mm?" Will asked with one eye raised. He finished unbuttoning his shirt and threw it over the side of the bed. 

"That I wasn't able to properly prepare you," 

The words went straight to Will's cock. 

Hannibal peeled himself from Will to unbuckle his belt, and reached into the topmost drawer for lube. 

"On your hands and knees, if you would," 

Will tugged his pants and briefs off as he got into position. Hannibal settled behind him, legs framing Will's. His cool, slick hand wrapped around Will's cock as he stroked, making Will moan. 

Eventually, Hannibal gave Will a quick fondling of his balls before pushing one finger in Will's hole. 

"God, more, please," Will grunted. 

Hannibal obliged and added another finger, teasingly curling against Will's prostate. 

"A-ah," Will sobbed out, dropping to his forearm and burying his head there.

Hannibal pulled out and shoved his boxers down, before pressing the tip of his cock against Will's hole. 

"Wait," 

Hannibal immediately stopped. 

Will got up and turned to kneel in a mirroring position. 

"I want to claim you like you claimed me," Will drawled. He shoved Hannibal on the bed, back-first, and then settled to straddle his hips. With the both of them guiding Hannibal's cock, Will slowly lowered himself down past the first ring of muscles. 

They breathed in unison as Will slowly dropped down to a hilt, ass fully against Hannibal's groin. 

Will leaned forward and kissed Hannibal, just as he used his thighs to slowly move up and down onto his cock. Hannibal let out little grunts that pushed Will to go further. He shifted his posture back, and came to rest his hands on Hannibal's shins. With all the strength his upper arm muscles had, he bounced himself up and down Hannibal's cock, finally letting out little sighs of his own at the feeling of being so thoroughly filled. His cock spearheaded Will's ass, and they fucked with a thin layer of sweat all over them. Will's ass actually made a  _ slapping _ sound on every downstroke. His cock bounced obscenely in the air against his chest as he fucked himself on Hannibal. 

"Hannibal, I'm-" 

"Take it then, fuck yourself senseless on me," Hannibal said with a strained voice. 

Will's thrusts became more powerful and faster, filling the room with the obscene noises of Hannibal moaning. He eventually reached out to grip Will's ass. His fingernails dug in, and Will let out a wrecked sob as he came. It spurted out onto Hannibal's chest as Will slowed down. 

Breathing heavily, Hannibal leaned up to hold Will. 

"God, you must have good core muscles," Will said between exhales. 

"I do," Hannibal said. With a tight arm around his waist and the other wrapped in Will's hair, Hannibal fucked up into Will deeply. 

"I want to ruin you," Will purred into Hannibal's ear. He felt sore from overstimulation, but now he was wholly focused on Hannibal. Hannibal's thrusts became faster, as he continued burying himself into Will. 

"I want you wrecked and helpless and spent," Will continued. Hannibal let out a whimper. "Would you like that baby?" 

With an undignified groan, Hannibal stopped thrusting. He clutched Will's shoulder through the waves of what was clearly an intense orgasm. Eventually, his grip loosened and they leaned back slightly to look at each other. Not daring to pull away any further. 

"Baby," Will whispered with a smug grin. "You gonna leave while I'm passed out again," 

"Never," Hannibal said with reverence. "Never again," 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading everyone!! We got to see dog lover Jimmy, pregnant Alana, sloshed Jack, and of course power bottom Will. 
> 
> Earlier versions of this had Alana drinking beer instead of water in chapter 2. This was amended when I figured out I wanted to weave the Verger storyline in. 
> 
> Oh yes, the Vergers are not far away, Abel Gideon's wife is still 'alive', and Will still smells sickly sweet. Things will get wild in the second part. So stay tuned! 
> 
> As always, stay safe, smart, and sexy in these coronatimes <3

**Author's Note:**

> As always, suspend your disbelief. Everyone is now firmly in their late 20s to mid 30s. I'm gonna have some fun with this one.


End file.
